The Winter Buffalo
by AutumnFirstLight
Summary: The White Buffalo woman is a spirit from Native American mythology. She brings spirituality and knowledge. Jack is awestruck by her, and Bunny is not pleased with their interest in one other.


**I have taken GREAT liberty with the White Buffalo woman mythology, but I wasn't keen on bringing Greco-Roman mythology into this, as Greek mythology already permeates so much. Also, all the Spirits of Spring seemed to be married. O.o I didn't want to write *that* kind of story either. **

Her name is White Buffalo and she is the spirit of Spring.

Jack is enamored with her from the moment he sets his eyes on her. How could he, in 300 years, have never encountered her? She is beautiful by all accounts. Her hair is thick and dark and her eyes are clear and kind. Her skin is a rich honey color.

Bunnymund, who seems especially protective of her, has told him not to touch her and to be careful of his thoughts. He mentions something about a man being burned to ashes. Jack has no idea what the rabbit means; he can't get his mind off of her.

Like everyone, she was invited to celebrate the twelve days of Christmas at the Pole by North and his wife, Faith, who Jack had only just met. She arrived as a white buffalo who shook off the snow in its fur before transforming into a woman. Jack had only gaped and felt himself go blue with embarrassment.

Christmas came and went and Jack only watched her. She laughed with Mrs. Claus and talked with Tooth and her fairies. She often stood close to Bunnymund and the two chatted quietly. Jack didn't know how to speak with a woman, he was still a young man when he'd been transformed into the winter spirit he was now. Besides; she clearly wasn't anglo. How would she like to be spoken to? Angry at his own inability, he often perched in rafters to watch her interact with the other guests. Really, he was used to the isolation anyway.

He met many other spirits that Christmas; Patty, and Valentino, and Halo Eve and Dunchan. He met Cobbler, the spirit of Thanksgiving, and Jr., the spirit of New Year. But they hardly even registered, all he could think about what White.

So, he went home after Christmas, glad to have a family now, but lost in his own musings. It was months later in the Alps that he saw her. She was walking in her human form and white flowers sprung up behind her. Jack was surprised to see anything grow in his cold.

With no one around to see him fail, and months of chastising himself for his cowardice, he screwed up his courage and swept over to walk beside her.

"What flowers are those?" he asked.

"They're edelweiss," she told him, turning to smile. Jack's breathe caught in his throat. "They're very hardy. Do you like them?"

"Yes," Jack breathed. He was mesmerized by her.

"Good," White replied, her voice equally as hushed but her eyes were smiling. "Now come with me."

She took his hand and a thrill shot through Jack before he was whipped away through the air so fast he though Bunny would have trouble keeping up. They alighted in a valley a few minutes later.

"Wow!" Jack laughed, leaning over to catch his breath, "That was amazing!" White just smiled.

Suddenly a stern voice called to White from nearby and Bunnymund stepped out from behind the brush. "Do you know what you're doing?" he asked, ignoring Jack, "and with who."

"Hey!" said Jack.

"I do know," said White, "and I think you overstep your bounds."

Bunnymund glared. "He's a loner, what makes you think he'll help your cause?"

"I have my reasons," said White.

"He desires you," said Bunny.

"I know," said White.

"You do?" asked Jack.

White smiled kindly at him and took his hand, "You spent all of Christmas staring at me. I eventually caught on."

"Oh," Jack's cheeks tinged blue with blush.

"He'll always be cold," snarled Bunny.

"I can handle the cold," said White, as a vine of evergreens sprung up and twined their way around Jack's feet and legs. Then she gave Bunny a hard look, "I think you are forgetting Grace, brother."

"There's no need to bring her into this," Replied the hare, though at the mention of Grace the fight went out of him as suddenly as it had come.

"There is every reason. She is the reason for your season. Go to her, stop looking out for me. I'm too fickle anyway."

With a huff Bunny disappeared into one of his tunnels.

Jack tugged on his feet but the vines didn't free him and he was reluctant to break them. "What was that about?"

"Ah, he's just overly protective. He worries I'm not wise, that I'll share too much."

"Share too much of what? Who's Grace?"

The vines wound higher around Jack until they had twined their way into his hair. "What are you doing?" He asked, the first note of panic in his voice.

"I don't want to hurt you," replied White. "Sometimes I hurt people, I'm sure you know how that feels, you don't mean to, but…" She trailed off, "Grace is Bunny's wife, and what I share is knowledge...and spirit walks."

"He has a wife?!"

White chucked and reached out to rest a hand on Jack's neck. "Yes, they are good for each other, now hold still."

What happened next Jack could only describe as being burned alive and recreated at the same time. He had always been earthbound, as a human and then as a spirit, but for a short while he was truly free. While he was he saw the Man in the Moon and learned that the moon was only a reflection of the Man. They spoke. They talked for a long time. And Jack felt himself stretched through the galaxy like a leaf on the wind.

When he opened his eyes he was on the ground and White was in her Buffalo form. It struck him as odd that she could look worried even as such an enormous beast. She transformed back into her skins and boots and the vines fell away from him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, resting a hand on his chest, "What did you see?"

Jack looked at her and blinked.

"Do you still desire me?" She seemed very nervous. Was this a test?

Without speaking Jack sat up and took her head in his hands before pulling her face down to his for a kiss that was, quite accidentally, scalding.

When he pulled back White plopped back onto her bottom and stared at him, her mouth hanging open. "Yes," he replied, "always yes."

White Buffalo stared for several long seconds before reaching up to touch her lips. Then, with a broad grin, she threw herself back into the grass, arms spread wide, and laughed.

Jack laughed with her.

After a short while he jumped to his feet and held out his hand. White took it.

"So, m'lady," he said, bowing slightly, "how do you feel about an adventure?"

White laughed again. "I thought you'd never ask!"

And off they went.


End file.
